Donald Trump pledged to carry out the largest deportation program in U.S. history if reelected.
This means around 11 million undocumented migrants, non-citizens and asylum seekers now face being deported from America following Trump’s day one in office.
According to reports, over 100 executive orders (a new record) have already been prepared and are waiting for the president’s signature as he assumes office today Monday, 20 January 2025.
Trump, who has been cited as “America’s first convicted president” by some media houses, also plans to remove all previous legal protections for asylum-seeking migrants in America and terminate humanitarian deportation safeguards that previously protected millions from being deported, including individuals from Nigeria, Haiti and Sudan.
He also intends to revise a policy that initially focused on deporting serious criminals, shifting the priority to include long-term undocumented immigrants with no criminal history at all.
Part of the new executive orders to be signed by Trump is focused on ending birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents without legal immigration status, according to a Reuters report.
An unnamed White House official is quoted to have said:
“The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens.”
How will Trump’s mass deportation program affect Nigerians living in the States?
Nigerians who have or have attained full citizenship in America will most likely not be affected by Trump’s impending immigration orders. However, those who are yet to become citizens especially those without proper or straightforward documentation as well as new asylum seekers arriving in the country will clearly be affected.
Nigerians who are long-term overstayers in the US could also be deported.
Some good news about Trump’s new policies on immigration
Before his reelection, the 47th President promised to create a program that would allow foreign students to get automatic green cards when they complete their studies.
This policy, if eventually implemented (emphasis on ‘if’), could pave the way for millions of international students to become legal residents of America after their studies.
Trump said in an interview a few months ago:
“What I want to do, and what I will do, is — you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country.”
